The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1887-05-28
"REMINISCENCES.
THE SPOTTED HoRsEszTHE CHINOOK
WINDS-IDAHO.


Following arc extracts from a
letter by Joaquin Miller, who has
been paying visit to the Pacific
coast. The letter was written to
the Butte Inter-Mountain and was
dated al Walla Walla.
TIE SPOTTED HORSES.
This and surrounding region for
many hundred mile is the native
Iand Of tho spotted horse have
seen in this valley as many as s.
600 spotted horses In a single band.
In one of our Indian wars the sol
diers were ordered to destroy the
property of the beaten and flying
nayages, This properly consisted
mostly Of horses-those beautiful
and sagacious spotted horses that
at times filled these fertile valleys.
The cavalry drove the many bands
of spotted horses all together
against the steep and stony banks
of the Columbia and the soldiers
were set to work to shoot them
down. II was a tedious task for
there were many thousands of
these poor brutes. I record with
pleasure that the soliiers seemed
to do their work with reluctance.
At last the horses seemed to un--
derstand. Here and there they
stood out singly facing death, fall
ing in their tracks very quietly.
BIT after the shooting had been
going On some time they suddenly
seemed to g1Qw desperate. There
were still NJ Ire than thousand of
them left. They raised their proud |
heads In the air, circled round and
round and uttered such wild and |
unearthly cries as no man will
ever hear again. All at once, and
in g body they wheeled and plung-
ed headlong over the perpendicular
banks of the Columbia river, and
we're lost to view in the gathering
night and the foaming river that
dashed against the gags below.
There was not one of this splendid
'and Of spotted horses left alive.
And why are those spotted horses
lere? Look at the spotted noun
aims of snow that encircle us here,
nd then go and read the story of
Tacob and his spotted stick and the
attic troughs in your family bible.
THE CHINOOK WINDS.
Some years ago when | wrote S
bout the chinook winds the small
hts made great sport. But since c
wrote magazine sketch of these Q
TRANCE winds, scientists have had
ne matter in hand, and they hold a
nat the winds blow in from the
apan seas, instead of blowing up a
he Colorado from the hot sands of 0
rizona, as | once believed. But
e that as it may, the chinook
ind is the one thing that makes b
Il this vast northwest habitable. O
he winds come suddenly; and
hen they strike you, you want to Il
t right down and rest. 1t is like
he breath of spring And they k
ever come except on the coolest
ay. They strike the high head II
nds first. The brown hills are Of
vept of snow in single hour, :
he rivers begin TO boom and break {
leir banks and sweep the valleys. \
hen thore is a rush to get the
)rSeS ana cattle 10 the nils.
IDAHO.
This Indian name, like all others, II
Is its accent on the second sylla- !
e. 1t is pronounced Pdah-ho |
iterally, it means, "Where the
yht is" A larger and more COM
etc translation would be, "Where
e light first rests on the noun
ms at sunrise" Ifyou care to look Z,
the map you will find my town
ere, But it is on the map only;
r soon after | had established
y express office and the boys had
tched their tents and cabins IS
ound me-this was when the
aho mines were first discovered
ora ooD,a a man Ona Dir For